Comments for Aleethia! http://www.aleethia.com "The LORD will march out like a mighty man, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies." Isaiah 42.13 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:42:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on The Permanence of Salvation by Brance http://www.aleethia.com/the-permanence-of-salvation/comment-page-1/#comment-337 Brance Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:42:39 +0000 http://aleethia.com/wordpress/?p=5#comment-337 First, you're creating a "what if" scenario that Scripture doesn't, so let's not go there. Second, I understand you're objection. You've seen someone who seemed dedicated to the Lord and then turned his back on it and walked away. You don't want to accept that the person may never have been a Christian to begin with, but listen to Jesus on this one. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'" (Matt 7:21-23) Even though these people did all these things and seemed dedicated to the Lord, and never turned away from it, they still weren't Christians. Jesus doesn't say he knew them at one time, but then they walked away, or he knew them at one time and then they lost it due to sin. He says he <b>never</b> knew them. It is possible for someone to appear to be a Christian, to work in ministry, and not know the Lord at all. That is a sobering thought. Let's not let it worry us needlessly about our own salvation, but do let it sober us to the seriousness of knowing Christ and him crucified. And if that is possible, then certainly it is possible that someone could appear to be a Christian minister, and have themselves and those around them convinced, and not know the Lord at all. For this reason we should constantly be applying the gospel to our lives and hearts. It is the power of God for salvation, and the fuel of our sanctification. First, you’re creating a “what if” scenario that Scripture doesn’t, so let’s not go there.

Second, I understand you’re objection. You’ve seen someone who seemed dedicated to the Lord and then turned his back on it and walked away. You don’t want to accept that the person may never have been a Christian to begin with, but listen to Jesus on this one.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matt 7:21-23)

Even though these people did all these things and seemed dedicated to the Lord, and never turned away from it, they still weren’t Christians. Jesus doesn’t say he knew them at one time, but then they walked away, or he knew them at one time and then they lost it due to sin. He says he never knew them.

It is possible for someone to appear to be a Christian, to work in ministry, and not know the Lord at all. That is a sobering thought. Let’s not let it worry us needlessly about our own salvation, but do let it sober us to the seriousness of knowing Christ and him crucified.

And if that is possible, then certainly it is possible that someone could appear to be a Christian minister, and have themselves and those around them convinced, and not know the Lord at all. For this reason we should constantly be applying the gospel to our lives and hearts. It is the power of God for salvation, and the fuel of our sanctification.

]]> Comment on The Permanence of Salvation by Dennis http://www.aleethia.com/the-permanence-of-salvation/comment-page-1/#comment-300 Dennis Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:52:02 +0000 http://aleethia.com/wordpress/?p=5#comment-300 I have one question and it comes from the parable of the prodigal son. What would have happened had the son never came back? He was a true member of the family but what if he had died in the pig sty he was working in? I understand the concept of "well if he walked away from Christ, he must never have belonged.", but I knew a man who dedicated his life to Christ through ministry but toward the end he denied God altogether. Seems to me, even a believer can turn his back on God. I have one question and it comes from the parable of the prodigal son. What would have happened had the son never came back? He was a true member of the family but what if he had died in the pig sty he was working in?
I understand the concept of “well if he walked away from Christ, he must never have belonged.”, but I knew a man who dedicated his life to Christ through ministry but toward the end he denied God altogether. Seems to me, even a believer can turn his back on God.

]]> Comment on Scripture Memorization – Part 2 by Andy http://www.aleethia.com/scripture-memorization-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-295 Andy Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:34:48 +0000 http://www.aleethia.com/?p=147#comment-295 Hi Brance, I'm hoping to set up the email reminders soon. I've actually been working on being able to pull the verse off a publisher's website. It's working for ESV (although at the moment I just use it to verify that the verse was entered correctly). As you say, typing it in the first time is the first step towards memorizing it! I thought that there would be a fairly small number of favorite memory verses but I'm discovering that there is tremendous breadth to the verses people are memorizing. As an aside: you're the first person to sign up using OpenID. I'm a big proponent of that but haven't had much time to test it ... for some reason I saw it didn't get an email from your trusted website so you aren't going to get any reminders or emails. There is a profile page now where you can select the frequency of the reminders, enter your email address, etc. etc. Hi Brance,

I’m hoping to set up the email reminders soon. I’ve actually been working on being able to pull the verse off a publisher’s website. It’s working for ESV (although at the moment I just use it to verify that the verse was entered correctly). As you say, typing it in the first time is the first step towards memorizing it!

I thought that there would be a fairly small number of favorite memory verses but I’m discovering that there is tremendous breadth to the verses people are memorizing.

As an aside: you’re the first person to sign up using OpenID. I’m a big proponent of that but haven’t had much time to test it … for some reason I saw it didn’t get an email from your trusted website so you aren’t going to get any reminders or emails. There is a profile page now where you can select the frequency of the reminders, enter your email address, etc. etc.

]]> Comment on Q: Hymns vs Praise Songs? by Benji http://www.aleethia.com/q-hymns-vs-praise-songs/comment-page-1/#comment-293 Benji Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:07:26 +0000 http://www.aleethia.com/?p=1346#comment-293 Very well thought out and stated Brance. I enjoyed reading this. Very well thought out and stated Brance. I enjoyed reading this.

]]> Comment on Scripture Memorization – Part 2 by Brance http://www.aleethia.com/scripture-memorization-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-286 Brance Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:35:47 +0000 http://www.aleethia.com/?p=147#comment-286 Hey Andy, Very cool. I signed up using my OpenID url and started work on Romans 1. Will the system email me a reminder at the next testing time? It sounds like a great tool! One possible suggestion. Would it be possible to make verse entry easier by pulling the text from the publisher's website once a reference and translation have been chosen? You may have already thought of that and decided against it. Having to look up the verse and type it in myself may be part of the memorization process... Hey Andy,

Very cool. I signed up using my OpenID url and started work on Romans 1.

Will the system email me a reminder at the next testing time?

It sounds like a great tool!

One possible suggestion. Would it be possible to make verse entry easier by pulling the text from the publisher’s website once a reference and translation have been chosen?

You may have already thought of that and decided against it. Having to look up the verse and type it in myself may be part of the memorization process…

]]> Comment on Scripture Memorization – Part 2 by Andy http://www.aleethia.com/scripture-memorization-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-285 Andy Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:24:01 +0000 http://www.aleethia.com/?p=147#comment-285 Hi - I recently launched a website (www.memverse.com) that helps you memorize bible verses. It's free and entirely online. I created it because I was amazed at how few resources there were for memorizing scripture. As of March 2009 it's still a little rough around the edges but I'm working on it whenever I get a chance and it should improve quickly. Also, any feedback would be much appreciated. Hi – I recently launched a website (www.memverse.com) that helps you memorize bible verses. It’s free and entirely online. I created it because I was amazed at how few resources there were for memorizing scripture. As of March 2009 it’s still a little rough around the edges but I’m working on it whenever I get a chance and it should improve quickly.

Also, any feedback would be much appreciated.

]]> Comment on Q6: How does the Bible account for the origins of race? by Amber Epting http://www.aleethia.com/q6-how-does-the-bible-account-for-the-origins-of-race/comment-page-1/#comment-271 Amber Epting Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:55:12 +0000 http://www.aleethia.com/?p=1294#comment-271 Hey Brance, This is really well-stated - I've had countless converstations on this very topic...attempting to explain what the bible says on this subject...unfortunately, particularly in the south, there are still lots of folks who just do not understand this. They've allowed the world to shape their view instead of examining God's word on the subject. Anyway, great post - thanks for sharing! Blessings to y'all! :-) Hey Brance,
This is really well-stated – I’ve had countless converstations on this very topic…attempting to explain what the bible says on this subject…unfortunately, particularly in the south, there are still lots of folks who just do not understand this. They’ve allowed the world to shape their view instead of examining God’s word on the subject. Anyway, great post – thanks for sharing! Blessings to y’all! :-)

]]> Comment on Q6: How does the Bible account for the origins of race? by Brian Barker http://www.aleethia.com/q6-how-does-the-bible-account-for-the-origins-of-race/comment-page-1/#comment-270 Brian Barker Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:21:03 +0000 http://www.aleethia.com/?p=1294#comment-270 I agree with the Tower of Babel comment. In today's World. the language problem is still relevant and I believe that the World, now, needs a common, non-national, neutral language! Why not teach a common neutral non-national language, in all countries, in all schools, worldwide? The contest between English and Esperanto seems to be a David & Goliath situation. But don't forget who won in the end If you have time, please check http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU as well as the Esperanto website, http://www.lernu.net I agree with the Tower of Babel comment.

In today’s World. the language problem is still relevant and I believe that the World, now, needs a common, non-national, neutral language!

Why not teach a common neutral non-national language, in all countries, in all schools, worldwide?

The contest between English and Esperanto seems to be a David & Goliath situation. But don’t forget who won in the end

If you have time, please check http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU as well as the Esperanto website, http://www.lernu.net

]]> Comment on Q5: How do you explain The Trinity? by Burl http://www.aleethia.com/q5-how-do-you-explain-the-trinity/comment-page-1/#comment-269 Burl Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:06:02 +0000 http://www.aleethia.com/?p=1281#comment-269 Good job Brance of explaining the Trinity. It can be a hard concept to grasp and in its truest sense no one can fully understand it, at least not on this side of eternity. God Bless. Burl Good job Brance of explaining the Trinity. It can be a hard concept to grasp and in its truest sense no one can fully understand it, at least not on this side of eternity.

God Bless.
Burl

]]> Comment on Earning and Saving, God’s Way by Brance http://www.aleethia.com/earning-and-saving-gods-way/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Brance Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:49:19 +0000 http://aleethia.com/?p=26#comment-168 Thanks Lynne. I'm just trying to teach the Scripture and prepare the young people for life. Thanks Lynne. I’m just trying to teach the Scripture and prepare the young people for life.

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